


Long Live

by ThatRandomFan



Series: Stack the Deck [3]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Cardverse AU, KamuKoma Week 2018, M/M, when will I stop picking the alternative prompts?, would you look at that- no Matsuda this time except for that one mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 15:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15439776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatRandomFan/pseuds/ThatRandomFan
Summary: The king hummed and idly played with his hair, “You can still turn back, you know. No one’s going to stop you. If anything, I will happily assist you and do whatever I can for your safe departure. After all–”“Do you truly wish for me to leave you?”(Cardverse AU where Kamukura is really starting to get tired of Komaeda telling him to go away)





	Long Live

**Author's Note:**

> So KamuKoma Week: Day 4 with the alternative prompt Loyalty/Protection.
> 
> More loyalty than protection tho tbh
> 
> Or at least, it sounds like loyalty in my head. Heck, I don't know. Just take it.

The people rejoiced at the sight: the sun shining bright against a clear blue sky, with the moon beside it.

 _“Today is a happy day,”_ they said – _as if the gods themselves peered out of heaven and personally blessed everyone in attendance._ It couldn’t be helped. Coronations were important in a growing kingdom. And with one as old – _as traditional_ – as Spades, good omens such as that during such a day was worthy of its own celebration. And yet, despite this, – _with the people outside running around, preparing for the coming feast_ – a solitary figure sat in front of an ornate mirror.

“Kamukura-kun?” the king’s quiet voice called after a knock. It was soon followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. “Are you alright?”

He watched Komaeda approach through the mirror. “I’m fine.”

The king hummed and idly played with his hair, “You can still turn back, you know. No one’s going to stop you. If anything, I will happily assist you and do whatever I can for your safe departure. After all–”

“Do you truly wish for me to leave you?”

Silence answered him as slim arms enveloped the future queen from behind, Komaeda’s face buried on Kamukura’s black hair. “My thoughts on the issue don’t mean anything. What’s most important is for Kamukura-kun to do what he truly wants. For someone like you to make a decision based on lowly me’s opinion is simply unacceptable.”

“I am the queen.”

“No, you are not,” Komaeda quickly replied, arms holding him tighter. “Not yet. Not yet… We still have time.”

“Komaeda–“

“Being royalty is an utter bore anyway. Why would you want such a gaudy title? Someone like Kamukura-kun ought to experience the world first before being tied down by meaningless politics. It’s all going to be so _so boring._ Honestly, wanting to be queen – this isn’t like you at all,” the king laughed maniacally. “Are you so starved for purpose that you’ll latch on to the first thing you’ll find? Ha, I never thought Kamukura-kun is the sort to do something like that at all!”

The king continued on – _gushing non-stop on how Kamukura shouldn’t wish, let alone_ want _, to be queen_ – and through it all Kamukura sat – _still as a stone_ – listening quietly to Komaeda’s muffled sobs. Once his king showed signs of slowing down, Kamukura placed his hand on top of Komaeda’s head, white hair soft underneath his fingers.

“Nagito,” he said, pleased at how it caught the other’s attention. “I will be fine.”

Komaeda raised his head to refute but froze at the reflection in front of him.

In the mirror was Kamukura – _eyes shining bright, lips forming a smile_ – and Komaeda Nagito felt himself fall in love again. 

…

A few months before the coronation, Nagito finally got the break he deserved.

Fearing that someone would suddenly appear and ask him to do more – _not that he could deny them should they truly appear. After all, he was aware of his role and the duties associated with it but still, the thought of being separated from his books for longer was…_ – he briskly walked towards the royal library. He trusted his luck to lead away potential threats to his goal. One more moment away from his precious books and he may just die. _Not that_ that _would be a bad thing._

“…Ah.”  

Nagito paused on his steps and knocked his head. _‘No good, that was simply no good,’_ he thought as he started walking once more. “He would definitely be upset, for sure.”

He snickered to himself and grinned when he reached the oversize doors of the library. Humming a tune, he practically skipped inside the library and quickly browsed the shelves. No matter how many times he has visited the place, the sheer volume of books arranged upon shelves and shelves and shelves would never stop amazing him. Given that Spades was heralded as the home for the academes, it should come as no surprise for it to bear the largest library in the world, but for it to contain not only books about theories and sciences but also literatures lost in time? Predictions for the coming future? Compilations of the mundane and unordinary?!

If Komaeda Nagito wasn’t the King of Spades, he would have begged whoever was in charge to let him live there full time.

 _‘And they won’t even have to bother hiring library staff. I’ll do it. I’ll do everything – free of charge!’_ he mused, carrying a stack of books on his arms. He was on his way to his usual seat when he came across Kamukura.

With his black locks flowing around him like a blanket and the focused gaze he has towards what he was reading, Kamukura looked ethereal. Wraithlike in a sense that, the darkness was slowly pulling him in – much in the same way that Nagito was being pulled towards the enigmatic man. And the faint moonlight coming from the library window wasn’t helping either. It made him glow, in a way Nagito couldn’t never truly comprehend. _As if Kamukura was someone not of this world. As if he was someone no one could truly understand. As if…_

Nagito knew that he should stay away, that he should keep his distance in order to not to make the same mistake but – he has always had poor self-control.

“Good evening,” he smiled at Kamukura. “Mind if I join you?”

At his companion’s nod, Nagito placed his stack on the table and sat beside Kamukura. He reached for one of his books – _it’s not important which one it turned out to be, he would read all of them equally –_ and was content to read alongside him quietly. Of course, if he ended up glancing at Kamukura once in a while, well… it couldn’t be helped he supposed. Kamukura-kun was pretty after all – even prettier up close like this.

Before long, he felt an insistent gaze on him. He tried to pretend it wasn’t there but it would seem that Kamukura was unrelenting.

With an apologetic grin, he faced his companion, “I’m sorry. Was I distracting you?”

“Not at all. If anything, I seem to be distracting you,” Kamukura answered as he tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear.

He shook his head at that. No way would he ever consider Kamukura-kun a distraction. “I suppose you could say that I was interested? Kamukura-kun looks so invested in his book that I just got curious as to what it could possibly be about.”

Kamukura promptly marked the page he was reading and closed it, handing it over.

“A-ah? There was no need to do that.” He still nodded his thanks though while reaching for it. “Chronicles of Suits, huh,” Nagito mumbled, running his fingers over the book’s title. “What’s it about?” he asked as if he didn’t already know the answer – with the amount of times Matsuda and the former King of Spades told him to read it over and over again, one would be surprised if he didn’t already memorize it. Still, he couldn’t be blamed though; he was just interested in what Kamukura has to say.

“That volume speaks of the rise and fall of Spades through the ages,” Kamukura said, reaching over for another book. “It was part of a series, with that as the first one.”

He listened to him with lips parted in a small ‘o’ before nodding. “I see. Kamukura-kun looked like he’s the type to enjoy scientific books more, but I supposed I was mistaken. Is it that, you prefer historical accounts more? What about literary ones? I would suggest some but I don’t want to impose on someone like you,” Nagito said before chuckling to himself.

“It isn’t a matter of preference. I simply must know about this in preparation for the future.” Kamukura paused as if a thought came over him and glanced back, “Feel free to recommend some. I trust your judgment.”

Nagito was flattered that he placed such high regard for his tastes but – “Preparation…?”

“It is inevitable. With this mark–” he reached over his shoulder and held it “– it is only a matter of time before people find out about our connection.”

“Kamukura-kun…” he gasped, furrowing his brows at what he was hearing.

“As the coming Queen of Spades, I should do my outmost to learn everything there is to know. To govern the kingdom suitably behind you, I must–”

“That’s wrong.”

Kamukura paused to stare at Nagito. Silence reigned in the library with only the sound of their breaths to be heard. The king pressed his lips before addressing his companion.

“You’re wrong, Kamukura-kun. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.”

Beyond that, Komaeda Nagito has no more words. How could he – he wasn’t the one who continuously lived his life to the fullest, he wasn’t the one brimming with hope for the future, he wasn’t the one who has the ability to brighten up someone’s world, he wasn’t…

“Nagito,” Kamukura said, holding his king’s face in his hands. “I have upset you.”

Perhaps. But he wasn’t solely at fault. If anything…

He placed his own hands on top of the other, and closed his eyes with a sigh. “It’s not your fault, Kamukura-kun. Don’t worry, I’m fine,” he smiled for good measure.

“That’s a lie. Your eyebrows were creased and your eyes are watery. Don’t lie to me again.” A pause. “Please.”

Nagito giggled at that.  “If Kamukura-kun asks for so, then who am I to deny him.”  

They stayed like that for what appeared like an eternity to them – hands held together as their gazes remained firm on each other – both comforted by the peace surrounding them and the presence of another.

…

_“Say, Kamukura-kun… Promise me you won’t think this way again? Promise me that regardless of your mark, you would never feel obligated to be the queen, okay? Promise me that, no matter what, you’ll continue to live for your own desires. That despite the circumstances surrounding you, you will live on as your own person, with your own aspirations and dreams – could you do that for me?”_

_“Very well. However, you must promise me this in return then, Komaeda Nagito...”_

…

“In the end…” The King of Spades smiled as he looked down at the celebrating masses. “I wasn’t able to change your mind, huh.”

“It was inevitable.” A smirk worked on his face before continuing, “Just as I have told you in the past. This, too, was as I predicted.”

Komaeda – _dressed in full regalia, like he was always meant to be –_ hummed. “I suppose that is true, but I wonder…”

One would have thought that he wasn’t listening to his king – _someone has to remain vigilant around this crowd –_ but the miniscule tilting of his head tipped Komaeda off.  

“Ne, Kamukura-kun,” He turned at the sound of his name, mantle – _tailored to be just like Nagito’s own –_ swaying in the wind. “How does it feel to finally be called _Queen of Spades_?”

“It’s boring.”

But the laugh he got from Komaeda wasn’t.

…

_“…let nothing in this world come between us. Allow me to remain by your side always in spite of everything that will happen. Show me the extent of which you will be willing to go for your ideals. Then and only then will I be satisfied. Are we in agreement? ”_

_“Are you sure? You really want to stay with someone like me? Like, really_ really _want to stay with me? Wouldn’t you rather stay with, oh I don’t know, Matsuda perhaps?”_

_“I am not asking again Komaeda Nagito. Are we in agreement?”_

_“Oh, alright, fine. I promise. But don’t come to me regretting your decision. I will laugh at you Kamukura-kun. I swear it.”_

_“There’s no need for that. The chance of you turning dull any time soon is nil.”_

_“If you say so…”_

_“I say so.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I was so tempted to put in " _sore wa chigau yo_ " in that specific moment. You have no idea how hard it was to resist. 
> 
> I don't have much to say about this since we already established that this thing has a plot so... welp. Anyways, I'm really glad you all seem to be enjoying this. I mean, I have no idea why you would but - thanks I guess? Haha. 
> 
> Like last time, do excuse the characterizations - this is the first time I'm writing for this fandom so this is definitely a learning experience. That said, constructive criticism is highly appreciated. ~~I wonder when will people realize that I'm just copy-pasting this line over and over till the week is over~~


End file.
